Miss New Mexico promotes the power of one

Miss New Mexico 2013 Alexis Duprey speaks at a Federated Republican Women of Otero County meeting on Tuesday at Carinos in Alamogordo. (Janessa Maxilom/Daily News)

Advocating for the success of the single-family unit is Alexis Duprey's goal as Miss New Mexico 2013.

Duprey, 22, of Alamogordo, recently won the title of Miss New Mexico on June 22. She publicly announced her platform for the Miss America Pageant on Wednesday at a Federated Republican Women of Otero County meeting.

"My state platform, which I'm taking to the Miss America competition as well, is called the 'Power of One,'" she said.

The platform focuses on single-parent families and the unique struggles they face.

Duprey said the idea for her platform was inspired by personal experiences while growing up. She said she was mainly raised by her mother, and that she can relate to children that come from similar situations.

"I experienced that lifestyle first-hand with my mother," she said. "That's how I know and can understand what the kids are going through and what the parents are going through, as well."

With her platform, Duprey hopes to be a mentor and inspire children to consider working with their parents as a team.

"Working as a team for the success of everyone in the family is important because it is such a stressful situation, both financially and emotionally," she said.

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Duprey said she and her mother have always been close and that she learned early on how to cooperate with her mother to accomplish things as a family.

"I'm honestly eternally grateful for that happening to me because it has shaped my character and made me the person that I am today," she said. "I know that I'm stronger now because of that."

During her reign as Miss New Mexico, Duprey hopes to make people aware that even though children are raised in single-family units, it doesn't mean they are at a disadvantage. She said she is living proof that the experience can be empowering.

"What I'd like to say to everyone about my platform is that I do not, by any means, encourage divorce or separation or never getting married," she said. "I still believe in the American dream of having a complete family. But it's not realistic and every situation is different."

According to Duprey, 43 percent of children in New Mexico are raised in single-parent households. She said single-parent families have become more common, and education and awareness about how to assist these families is important.

In an effort to get her message out to the public and to work with children on a personal level, Duprey has volunteered with the Children's Crisis Center, Boys & Girls Club of Otero County, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Children's Miracle Network and Kid's Inc.

While volunteering at Kid's Inc. in Alamogordo, Duprey has seen for herself that all families are different. She has also worked with children on a personal level and said she does her best to pass on the knowledge she's gained from life.

Duprey said when she talks with children about family makeup, she quotes "Mrs. Doubtfire, a popular 1993 film starring Sally Field and Robin Williams.

"There are all sorts of different families. Some families have one mommy, some families have one daddy, or two families. And some children live with their uncle or aunt. Some live with their grandparents, and some children live with foster parents. And some live in separate homes, in separate neighborhoods, in different areas of the country. And they may not see each other for days, or weeks, months -- even years -- at a time. But if there's love, dear, those are the ties that bind, and you'll have a family in your heart, forever."

She said the quote meant a lot to her because she could recall watching the movie as a 10 year-old and how it made her feel.

"That movie really relates to children and it makes a complicated issue a little more simple for them to understand," she said. "It also shows children that family is who you love and that not all families are the same."

Duprey said her definition of family was shaped, in part, by the movie and that she believes the ones you love and hold dear to your heart are family.

"My best friends are my family, my coworkers and my board of directors for the pageant are family," she said. "In my opinion, your family is who you want to be your family. And I think that is a good message to send to children these days -- to make them more comfortable and feel more loved. Love is everywhere and it doesn't just have to be in your blood."

What she loves about her platform is that no matter what children's organization she works with, she can relate her platform in one way or another.

"It's so easy to connect to any organization and that is why I like it," she said. It's not its own individual organization, but it applies to almost every single nonprofit or community program there is due to its relevancy in today's world."

Pageant preparations

Duprey has been busy preparing for the Miss America pageant that will be held in Atlantic City on Sept. 15.

"It's kind of tricky this year because the Miss America pageant is usually in January, but they moved it to September," she said.

Duprey said she is doing her best to prepare for the pageant and has been constantly training with her coaches.

"I am going to take a couple trips to Kansas City, where my vocal coach is, to really perfect my song that I sang at state," she said. "I'll be singing the same song at Miss America just because there is not enough time to pick something else and perfect it."

Other than perfecting her singing, she is working to perfect her interviewing skills with coaches from Texas Tech University. She is also doing physical training for the swim suit competition with Rosemarie Ferrara of Alamo Shape.

Duprey said she has a good chance at the pageant and is looking forward to representing the state.

"I think we have a good shot," she said. "I think it is high time that New Mexico be realized for the things that America doesn't know about the state."

She said people already know about the state for it's good food, great culture and great people, but that it is time they learn about how the state contributes to the nation.

"We have all kinds of best-kept secrets here that no one really knows about," she said. "All the military research we do here, the testing and all the space exploration done in this state has helped shape our country," she said.

"I always say that we have a lot of space in New Mexico, but that it was so we can study space," she said. "What we have learned through military testing and space exploration has shaped not only our nation, but also the rest of the world. So we really are a crucial state."

One of her goals as Miss New Mexico is to promote the state to the rest of the nation.

"We have a great state to represent and I look forward to making the nation aware of just how great we are," she said.

Duprey graduated from New Mexico State University in May. She double majored in communication studies and journalism mass communications. She graduated with the distinction of magna cum laude and was recently accepted into NMSU's graduate program to continue her studies in communication.